Mahabharata — Bhishma Parva, Shloka 57

Droṇa–Dhṛṣṭadyumna-yuddha (द्रोण-धृष्टद्युम्न-युद्धम्) — Tactical duel and allied interventions

Devanagari script

तयोस्तदभवद्‌ युद्ध घोररूपं सुदारुणम्‌ । ईक्षणप्रीतिजननं शुक्राड्रारकयोरिव,उन दोनोंका वह घोर एवं अत्यन्त भयंकर युद्ध शुक्र और मंगलके संघर्षकी भाँति नेत्रोंके लिये हर्ष उत्पन्न करनेवाला था

Transliteration

tayos tad abhavad yuddhaṁ ghorarūpaṁ sudāruṇam | īkṣaṇaprītijananaṁ śukrāṅgārakayor iva ||

Translation

桑阇耶说道：二人之间遂起一场形貌可怖、极其惨烈的战斗；然而它又如金星与火星的交锋一般，竟成了悦目之景。

Word by Word

• तयोः: of those two
• तयोः: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine/neuter, genitive, dual

• तत्: that (battle/event)
• तत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

• अभवत्: became/was
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: imperfect (laṅ), 3rd, singular, parasmaipada

• युद्धम्: battle
• युद्धम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

• घोर-रूपम्: of dreadful form
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोररूप
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

• सु-दारुणम्: very terrible
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुदारुण
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

• ईक्षण-प्रीति-जननम्: producing delight for the eyes
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईक्षणप्रीतिजनन
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

• शुक्र-अङ्गारकयोः: of Venus and Mars
• शुक्र-अङ्गारकयोः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्र + अङ्गारक
• Form: masculine, genitive, dual

• इव: like/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Śukra (Venus)
• Aṅgāraka (Mars)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a moral paradox central to the epic: warfare is inherently dreadful and destructive, yet it can appear visually thrilling. This warns against being seduced by the spectacle of violence and invites reflection on dharma—how perception and excitement can obscure ethical reality.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that a fierce combat has erupted between two warriors (contextually, the pair just mentioned in the surrounding verses). He characterizes the fight as terrifying in nature, while comparing its visual brilliance to the striking conjunction-like clash of the planets Venus and Mars.